Cervélo is once again the leader of the pack in the Kona bike count. The Toronto-based bike builder had 483 bikes on stand in Kona this year. Although this is slightly down on the 488 bikes counted for Cervélo in 2011.

Cervélo claimed 26% of all bikes in the 2012 Kona bike count. With 483 in total for Cervélo, this is 272 more than second placed Trek. However, it is worth noting that the gap has narrowed slightly on 2011, when second placed Trek was 303 bikes behind Cervélo at last year’s bike count. Meanwhile, in 2012, Specialized has reclaimed third place (from its fourth spot last year). Specialized has also seen a progression in the number of its bikes at Kona in recent years.

Zipp was a clear winner in the wheel count, with over 2,000 riders opting for Zipp wheels. In 2012, Zipp has consolidated its position further – up from just over 1900 wheels counted in 2011. In the wheel count, Zipp, Hed and Mavic remain the top three favoured brands by Kona athletes.

Fi’zi:k remained the number one saddle brand. The most popular aero bar brand was Profile Design. Shimano was again the clear leader in the groupsets used by the pros and age-groupers at Kona. For those power meters spotted at Kona, Quarq jumped from third place in 2011 to first place in 2012. France’s LOOK held its number one position in the pedals count. For helmets, Rudy Project built on its number one position, having edged out Louis Garneau in the 2011 helmet count.

Compiled by dozens of triathlon industry employees, the annual Kona Bike Count involves five hours of tallying bikes, wheels, saddles, aerobars, aero helmets, power meters, and components as athletes check in their bikes the day before the race.

According to Lava mag, the count gives the industry a scope of the previous year’s buying trends and an idea of who the players will be in the following year.